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Watchmaker damage
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omega1994
·That’s interesting - do other watchmakers in your experience operate on less stringent terms? Thank you
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omega1994
·What are your thoughts on the damage itself, and the crystal issue? I feel quite unlucky as this is the first time I’ve ever serviced a watch.
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Archer
··Omega Qualified WatchmakerWhat are your thoughts on the damage itself, and the crystal issue? I feel quite unlucky as this is the first time I’ve ever serviced a watch.
The scratch looks like a scratch, so not just a really flaky dial that something has just fallen from. I have certainly had dials that were very fragile and that the finish flaked off easily, and the thing is you have to handle them very carefully and not touch them at all.
Not much they can about the dial, other then finding a replacement as others have suggested.
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omega1994
·It’s a generic crystal, so fortunately no great expense to replace.
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ErichKeane
·The crystal damage is odd - either the case was dropped or they removed the crystal and caused the damaged that way. New Omega crystals are quite expensive so if they replace it with a genuine Omega crystal it will cost them a fair bit - around $130 US.
The scratch looks like a scratch, so not just a really flaky dial that something has just fallen from. I have certainly had dials that were very fragile and that the finish flaked off easily, and the thing is you have to handle them very carefully and not touch them at all.
Not much they can about the dial, other then finding a replacement as others have suggested.
I have no idea on those scratches, THAT looks like poor storage, like they wrapped it in a piece of paper or something that had an abrasive on it.
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omega1994
·Yes, the rim of the dial stuff was already there and to be expected given the age.
The scratch by the applied omega logo is the concern.
The scratch by the applied omega logo is the concern.
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ErichKeane
·Yes, the rim of the dial stuff was already there and to be expected given the age.
The scratch by the applied omega logo is the concern.
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omega1994
·Yep, avoiding this lot in the future.
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omega1994
·Well. As an update the watchmaker has become confrontational, despite me remaining polite throughout the exchange. They are refusing to accept they caused any damage, and continue to mischaracterise my watch as ‘full of scratches anyway’ and the crystal damage as ‘microscopic’. He is now insisting I address him ‘Mr second name redacted*’ which is quite strange.
Quite tempted to not even bother sending this back for a new crystal - why do you all think, is it worth it? I don’t trust the WM and want this behind me. On the other hand, this damage is fixable and will irritate me. They’ll do it for free and cover postage.
In any event, that’s a watchmaker I won’t be using in the future.
Also side note had some idiot in flip flops drive into the back of my car this morning and refuse to provide any personal or insurance details for about five minutes as traffic built up for miles in front and behind us. Not my week is it?
Quite tempted to not even bother sending this back for a new crystal - why do you all think, is it worth it? I don’t trust the WM and want this behind me. On the other hand, this damage is fixable and will irritate me. They’ll do it for free and cover postage.
In any event, that’s a watchmaker I won’t be using in the future.
Also side note had some idiot in flip flops drive into the back of my car this morning and refuse to provide any personal or insurance details for about five minutes as traffic built up for miles in front and behind us. Not my week is it?
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ecarpino
·As a watchmaker myself, I can tell you these mistakes happen and it’s normal because we are human. What makes a difference is how you handle it with the customer and he is being very poor at that.
Sometimes we don’t realise our mistakes right away so I can understand the WMs saying “I didn’t do it” at first, but in this case, by looking at the pictures, it is quite clear that the damage was done after the service, so he should make peace with it..
As per the damage itself, I am inclined to think he caused it while fitting the hands back on. He might have used brass/steel tweezers to hold one of the hands and it might have slipped. Sometimes this can happen also using plastic tweezers.
I would definitely still send it back for the crystal replacement and I would leave them a bad review on Google afterwards, for the way they addressed the whole thing.
Sometimes we don’t realise our mistakes right away so I can understand the WMs saying “I didn’t do it” at first, but in this case, by looking at the pictures, it is quite clear that the damage was done after the service, so he should make peace with it..
As per the damage itself, I am inclined to think he caused it while fitting the hands back on. He might have used brass/steel tweezers to hold one of the hands and it might have slipped. Sometimes this can happen also using plastic tweezers.
I would definitely still send it back for the crystal replacement and I would leave them a bad review on Google afterwards, for the way they addressed the whole thing.
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omega1994
·Context : he didn’t answer my question about return postage costs and or address my pushback in the dial damage for the day.
I won’t sent the whole chain but this watchmaker is quite unfriendly in my opinion.
I won’t sent the whole chain but this watchmaker is quite unfriendly in my opinion.
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ecarpino
·Sourcing a winding stem for that movement (which is not hard by the way) and making the watch work again are both part of what you paid for in the service, so I don’t understand why he is mentioning it in his very defensive email..
I don’t think it is worth to keep discussing with him.. have the crystal replaced and avoid him in the future
I don’t think it is worth to keep discussing with him.. have the crystal replaced and avoid him in the future
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omega1994
·Me reply:
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omega1994
·Agreed! It’s a silly email from him. Being defensive is quite revealing, shall we say. One to avoid.
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omega1994
·I’ve decided not to bother sending this back for a new crystal. Too much risk IMO. I’ll live with it, as was wisely pointed out earlier in the thread! Thanks guys as always.
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ErichKeane
·Honestly, I wouldn't send it back either. I was really hoping you weren't sending it in 😀
For a generic crystal, this is something anyone with a crystal press and $10 can do trivially.
As far as the stem... I've literally never had a problem getting a stem for a watch. Of ALL the parts, that seems like the easiest to get 😁
ALL of this (his emails in particular) make me wonder if he actually DID do a decent job servicing it...
For a generic crystal, this is something anyone with a crystal press and $10 can do trivially.
As far as the stem... I've literally never had a problem getting a stem for a watch. Of ALL the parts, that seems like the easiest to get 😁
ALL of this (his emails in particular) make me wonder if he actually DID do a decent job servicing it...
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pitbos
·Not only did he damage the dial and and not man up to it, he expects you to be grateful for the work he did! Yes, thank you so much!
Good decision - I would not send my watch back after seeing how the situation was handled. All downside for you. Just bring it to another WM to fix the crystal - since it’s generic you won’t be out of pocket too bad. Hey, at least you got your watch back.
Good decision - I would not send my watch back after seeing how the situation was handled. All downside for you. Just bring it to another WM to fix the crystal - since it’s generic you won’t be out of pocket too bad. Hey, at least you got your watch back.
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